To Procure
by ZackManticore
Summary: Zack comes to Max with reports of strange pains and the inability to hear things. Logan discovers that the hearing device Manticore planted inside Zack has ruptured, and that the device is also releasing bacteria that are viciously attacking Zack. Manti
1. Surprises Always Drop In

**1. Surprises Always Drop In**  


  
Zack closed the door of the hallway and cringed slightly in pain. Blood coarsed down his  
face from his ears, matting in his blond, hay colored hay. He moaned in pain and moved  
forward, pushing himself. He had to make it. This was the mission. Find Max. Get Help.  
The objective... save himself...  
  
Stepping in front of the door he rang the doorbell again and again. The door opened and  
there was Bling, followed by Logan, standing there questioningly. He saw them, then he  
collapsed. Bling caught him, surprised. Logan frowned, his glasses bending down his nose  
as he wheeled to the side so that Bling could help bring Zack inside.  
  
"Oh, my God... what happened to you?" Bling asked.  
  
"Was it Lydecker?" Logan asked, instantly alert, a hand gripping the side of his  
wheelchair. "Is Max in danger?"  
  
Zack opened his mouth and then screamed as pain lanced down his face, "It hurts. More  
than anything ever," he said, clamping a hand to his ears.  
  
"Is Max in danger?" Logan asked urgently.  
  
"No, she's fine... it wasn't Lydecker..." Zack gasped. "At least I don't think it was  
Lydecker."  
  
Bling dragged Zack over towards the table and gently slid him onto it. Instantly, they took  
off his clothes and searched for other injuries, seeing none. "I don't see any other injuries,  
Logan. But, he's having trouble breathing..."  
  
"He's bleeding from his ears, eyes and nose. His throat is the size of a balloon. I'm going to  
give him something to bring the swelling down," Logan said, grabbing a needle. "Luckily,  
I'm allergic to bees."  
  
Bling frowned at that. "I think we should get a Doctor's opinion on this."  
  
"Alright," Logan nodded. "Call Fox Clarmont. No one else. Tell him the symptoms and  
tell him to bring his stuff. And, get Max down here. She'll be just thrilled, after all the stuff  
you told her- then running out on her."  
  
Zack frowned and quieted as Bling cleaned up all the blood and bandaged him up. "I have  
to go find Max," Zack said.   
  
"She's coming," Logan said, pushing the weak x5 back down on the bed. "Why do you  
need to find her?"  
  
"They injected me with something..." he trailed off.  



	2. Bad News Sucks

**2. Bad News Sucks**  


  
Max parked her Ninja in front of Logan's apartment and punched the elevator buttons  
rapidly. She tossed her head arrogantly and smiled as she walked down the hall. On the  
phone, Logan had sounded serious. Something bad was up. So, while Normal was firing  
her ass, she'd find out what was under Logan's skin.   
  
Ringing the doorbell on Logan's apartment, she was rushed in by Bling who escorted her  
into the room where a body lay. Max placed her hands on the body and softly touched it...  
  
"Oh, Zack... what happened?"  
  
The look on her face almost tore Logan in two. He would do whatever it took to help this  
ingrate. Just for Max. He'd do anything for her afterall. It was about the way she moved,  
loved cared- her passion... she was addictive.  
  
I never had a dream come true,  
Till the day that I found you,  
Even though I pretend that I've moved gone,  
You'll always be my baby,  
Never found the words to say  
You're the one I think about each day,  
Wherever love takes me to,  
A part of me will always be with you...  
  
Zack on the other hand- was the side of genetically engineered flesh that he would rather  
throw out a window. Where did he get off anyway? Stop it Logan, they're just kids...  
God... just scared kids...  
  
The doctor arrived a moment after Max and immediately took a look in Zack's ears. Then,  
he grabbed a tool and reached into the ear, pulling out a small instrument.  
  
"It appears that this device ruptured the ear drum and exploded in the patients ear. It  
seems to be also, releasing something into the blood system," Doctor Clarmont uttered.  
  
"I can take a blood sample to my lab-"  
  
"No," Max said. "You'll have to use the computers here."  
  
A moment later the doctor had set up a system for monitoring samples of Zack's blood.  
Leaning forward he frowned, his face contorting slightly.  
  
"I found the problem. Bacteria are attacking his throat... the vocal chords are  
desintigrating at a rapid pace..."  



	3. Ambivalence

**3. Ambivalence**  


  
When Zack woke up, he felt strange, but he couldn't identify the feeling. Then, he realized  
what was wrong. He couldn't hear... anything. Instantly he fought off the bandages and  
started ripping at his ears.  
  
What was wrong! Why couldn't he hear? He tried to yell out to someone. Max had to be  
there... but he couldn't. It hurt- but he didn't care, he tried to yell and yell untill he could  
hear his voice.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
Max and Logan rushed into the room after hearing someone yelling their head off. They  
pressed him down on the table and pulled on the restraints.   
  
"I can't hear anything," he tried to yell, but no sound left his voice. It was like some empty  
whisper that disappeared into the air.   
  
Max grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down what had happened and held it up for  
him to read.  
  
"No," he mouthed. "I don't except that."  
  
Tough, she wrote. I'm so sorry Zack.  
  
Logan watched Max's face and almost felt the urge to take her in his arms and hold her  
while she cried. But, she had to be so strong. She always had to be so strong... Then,  
again- he had his corner stone to chip at, too. Why couldn't he tell her? That it was the  
way her hair smelled when she entered the room... the gung ho way she had- she was  
always ready for anything. God, he was lucky to have her. And, now she was crying over  
some jerk... or was it Logan- that you need an excuse before you'll hold her?  
  
Zack strained on the restraints and pulled forward, his muscles tightening. Then, he gave up and relaxed. He grabbed focused, so hard on the paper and pencil that Max undid the restraints. Then, he sat up and got dressed, and Max could tell...  
  
He'll never survive out there. Lydecker will find him in a minute. He won't even have a  
chance. I have to take care of him. Like he took care of the others. It's my duty, right...  
after all- it's his game. He wants to be my CO, now he's just someone I get to take care  
of. Time for him to be the brother I need.  
  
Lydecker, he wrote on the paper. He'll find me. He can't find me. I'd rather be dead. Kill  
me. I'm useless.   
  
The look in his eyes was glassy and at that moment- Max succombed to her tears. 


	4. Tryptophan

**4. Tryptophan  
**  


The next morning Zack woke up in an unfamiliar place. Instantly, he yelled out for Max.  
Then, he grabbed the bedsheets and pulled them closer. He felt the seizures hit him a  
moment later, his body racked with them. Zack felt one thing- scared. There had never  
been a time since the escape that he hadn't been able to do one thing- take care of himself.  
He felt fear within him as his whole self shook with every moment.  
  
Max rushed in a minute later, followed closely by her boyfriend. Rich bastard. She forced  
some pills down his throat and Logan held out a glass of water. He strugged to cough  
them up and tried to yell again. This had to be a nightmare.  
  
Flash.  
  
Lying in bed, a young boy at Manticore. The seizures ripping through his body, over and  
over again. I mean, what could you do? A moment later they'd take him into the lab and  
monitor him. He'd fight and they'd put him in restraints. So, angry...  
  
Flash.   
  
The Tryptophan gradually kicked in and he felt the seizures go away. His paranoid eyes  
glared at Max and Max yelled something at him. He couldn't hear what she was saying...  
he fought them and tried to get out of bed but Max pushed him down, slamming down on  
him. Then, she quickly tied the restraints.  
  
Inside, Zack was torn apart. Why wouldn't they let him go? He wasn't even safe here... he  
had to leave... But, somewhere inside of him there was a little boy who was still afraid of  
the dark and who still couldn't even comprehend the fact that his new disability could send  
him back to Manticore.   
  
***  
  
Max pulled Logan outside the room and sighed, "I added a powerful sleep inducer. It  
should keep him out for a while." Max rubbed her temples and fell into Logan's couch.  
  
"Are you alright?" Logan asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. But, what are we going to do? He can't even calm down enough for us to  
communicate with him..."  
  
"I don't know," Logan said, he let his arms rest on his chair. "I honestly don't know."  
  
Max started crying, the tears making their path down her face. "I mean, what if Manticore  
gets him? I know what's like to have nightmares. It's when I realize I'm not sleeping that  
scares me. He's probably terrified."  
  
"Anyone would be. Genetically inhanced killing machine or no," Logan soothed. He  
wheeled over to her and took her hand in his.  
  
"Yeah, but you don't know Zack, Logan. He can't rely on ANYONE. I think he has some  
wolf in him. He always had to lead the pack. He just doesn't know how to rely on  
someone besides himself... he never learned."


	5. Daylight

**5. Daylight**  


  
When Zack woke up he instantly tested the bonds he was in. Then, he relaxed, his  
breathing shallow. He took a minute to guess where he was and then remembered. He was  
deaf. And, had some weird virus ripping at his   
_  
I never thought I'd die alone,  
I laughed the loudest who'da known,  
I traced the cord back to the wall,  
No wonder it was never plugged in at all,  
I took my time,   
I hurried up,  
The choice was mine I didin't think enough,  
I'm too depressed,  
Took a run,  
You'll be sorry when I'm gone._  
  
Zack sighed and started sobbing. I can't go back there, he mouthed. He looked up at the  
ceiling flipping his hair back and pressed against the bonds again. Just then, he saw the  
door open.   
  
Hey, Max typed on a laptop she placed on Zack's stomach. Can I trust you not to hurt  
yourself if I take your bonds off?  
  
Zack nodded curtly and waited untill she undid the leather restraints. Then, Zack grabbed  
the keyboard.   
  
How are you going to fix me? he asked, typing it down.  
  
We don't know yet, Max typed back. Can you depend on me?  
  
No, Zack typed. Kill me. I'm incomplete...  
  
Max felt tears start to coarse down her face. It seemed that this was the most she had  
cried in a while.   
  
God, don't you care about anyone but yourself? she asked.


End file.
